(20.)
The Secretary read communications from the following Unions and District Councils, applying for the under mentioned sums on account of their respective expenditure:-
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From the Guardians of Athy Union for their estimated expenditure up to 30th June, 1899.
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£ S d.
|
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1100 0 0
|
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From the Rural District Council of Athy No. 1 for like period
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800 0 0
|
|
From the Guardians of Baltinglass Union (no period stated)
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300 0 0
|
|
From the Rural District Council of Baltinglass No. 3 (no period stated)
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100 0 0
|
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From the Guardians of Celbridge Union “for the ensuing four months”
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2500 0 0
|
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From the Rural District Council of Celbridge No. 1 for like period
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300 0 0
|
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Carried Forward
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£5100 0 0
|
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From the Guardians of Edenderry Union “to meet pressing claims”
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1227 0 0
|
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From the Rural District Council of Edenderry No. 2 “to meet pressing claims” (including £70 for Election expenses, estimated at £5 per Electoral Division
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219 0 0
|
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From the Guardian of Naas Union, (portion thereof in
County
Kildare ) for the period from 31st March to 31st July 1899
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2267 7 8
|
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From the Rural District Council of Naas No. 1 for the four months ending 31st July 1899
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831 18 11
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Total claims from Poor Law Unions and District Councils
In addition to the foregoing the Secretary reported that the following amounts would require to be liquidated immediately:-
Naas Gas Company, for gas supplied to County Court House
Balance Dr. at present date on the account of the
County
Treasurer under the Grand Jury Acts
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£ 9645 6 7
11 9 3
50 4 2
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|
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£ 9707 0 0
|
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To meet the above amount the Secretary reported that the following sums were now or would be shortly available:-
Halfyear’s payment under Agricultural Grant (lodged in Bank as above) Government Bounty in lieu of rates (expected to be lodged in a few days)
Contribution from War Office re extra traffic on roads near Government Brickworks at Curragh Camp
|
7870 5 0
696 7 2
128 0 0
|
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Total
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£ 8694 12 2
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The Secretary reported that the last-mentioned item of £128 had not yet been finally passed by the Military Authorities, but it was identical with the amount which they had paid for the past three years, and he expected that it would be shortly received. On this assumption it will be seen that the difference between the payments which require to be immediately met and the amounts that could be regarded as available to meet them was £1012 : 7 : 10. He reported that there would also be some payments required from time to time on foot of the maintenance of roads, &c, in charge of the County Surveyor, and of a few of the presentments passed at the Spring Assizes, and that consequently it would be advisable to obtain authority at the present time to overdraw the County Treasurer’s account whenever necessary to the extent of about £1500-. He further reported that a large sum would have to be paid at the Summer Quarterly meeting of the Council, pending the collection of the Poor Rate, on foot of the presentments at the Spring Assizes, but that it was almost impossible to estimate the overdraft that might be required for this purpose until it was known what moneys might be receivable in the meantime from Government grants and other possible sources of income. He believed, however, that an overdraft of at least £10,000 would probably be required for a few weeks in the month of July.
(21.)
On considering the Secretary’s financial statement the Council directed him to write to the Council Treasurer and state that the County Council require to ask the Local Government Board for authority to overdraw their account, and desire to be informed on what terms as to interest such overdraft would be granted by the Hibernian Bank, that the Council would require immediate authority to overdraw up to £1500-, and that in the month of July the overdraft may have to be increased (pending the collection of the Poor Rate) for a few weeks to £10,000 or possibly more.
(22).
The Secretary was further directed to ask the Local Government Board whether it was the duty of the County Council to appoint a County Treasurer, or whether the Hibernian Bank, Naas, who have hitherto been the County Bank and Treasurer under the Grand Jury, are an existing Officer transferred to the County Council under Section 115 of the Local Government Act; and also to ask whether the County Council have power to change their Treasurer from time to time if they should desire to do so.
(23.)
Resolution read from the Guardians of Celbridge Union recommending the County Council to ask the Local Government Board to sanction the giving of relief to Mrs. Kate Tyrrell of Saggard, under Section 13 of the Local Government Act.
The Secretary was directed to return the resolution to the Clerk of the Union, and to inform him that this Council could take no action in the matter owing to Saggard being outside the bounds of their County.
(24)
The County Surveyor handed in and read the following report on the subject of Main roads:-
To the County Council of County Kildare.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MY LORD, AND GENTLEMEN,
According to Section 8 (3) of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, it is my duty to report to you, preparatory to your making a “General Declaration” declaring what roads in the County shall be “Main Roads.” It is not easy to define what should constitute a main road, and no doubt opinions will widely differ. The general principle I adopted was that a road should be classified as “Main” (whether forming an existing separate contract or not) which (1) ought to be considered of importance to the whole county, or (2) to a very extensive area of same, or (3) which most directly connects towns or important villages inside the county with one another; and (4) which connects the county to important places in surrounding counties. I took a liberal view of the subject, and upon the accompanying map I have shown drawn in red colour all the roads in the county which I think may be declared Main Roads. The “District Roads” are coloured yellow. Taking the period ending in last March there were 1131 miles of roads under contract in the county, and out of this mileage I find that those I recommend to be “Main Roads” measure a few perches short of 460 miles, that is, over 41 per cent. of the whole, while the cost of the said 460 miles is just 60 per cent. of the total cost of the 1131 miles. One half of the expenses of a Main Road is to be levied off the whole county, so that the subject we are discussing is of great importance to District Councils. The Act accordingly provides that any Declaration as to Main Roads formulated by the County Council shall at first be only provisional, and is to be communicated to each District Council. There are at present 54 miles and 31 perches of Mail Car (or Post) roads in this county, and I recommend them all to be Main Roads except 4 Miles, 4 Furlongs, and 34 Perches.
Having said so much in a general way, I think the question of Main Roads should be adjourned until after the publication of the forthcoming County Book. I would suggest to have a list (giving the numbers in said book) of my proposed Main Roads sent to every Councillor – the list to be accompanied by a copy of the book.
It is not required, I think, at your first Meeting in a written Report to enter into ordinary matters about roads or other public works of the county, but I shall be happy to give all information in my power to the Council if required. Under the old law roads were arranged according to Baronies, but this is changed by the new Act, under which Districts (Rural or Urban) are substituted for Baronies. From the County Book of Summer, 1898, I made out a Schedule of Road Contracts changed from Baronies and apportioned to Districts, which I lay before you
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient Servant,
EDWARD GLOVER, M. INST. C.E.,
County Surveyor. (5)
(25.)
On considering the foregoing report it was proposed by Mr Edward Hayden, seconded by Mr George Mansfield, and passed-
That it be provisionally declared that the roads mentioned in the County Surveyor’s report, and coloured red on the accompanying map, be main roads, and that this provisional declaration, with an accompanying map, be communicated to the Several District Councils, and that the County Surveyor do attend the meetings of the
Several District Councils at which this provisional declaration is to be taken into consideration, as may be arranged.
(26.)
The Secretary handed in the printed Certificate issued by the Local Government Board under Section 49 of the Local Government Act as to the Standard rate for Poor Rate and County Cess, and showing the amounts taken for the purpose of the Act as having been raised in the County under these headings.
On considering same, and with reference to the amount of the remittance for the half yearly payment from the Agricultural Grant it was –
Proposed by Mr. Owen Cogan, seconded by Mr. George Wolfe, and unanimously passed:–
That the Secretary write to the Local Government Board and request them to furnish the Council with the figures necessary to enable the Council to see how the amount of the Agricultural Grant for County Kildare had been estimated.
(27.)
The Secretary read a circular (No. 147 M) from the Local Government Board, dated 18th April, transmitting a copy of their Order prescribing the time within which the Collectors of County Cess and Poor Rate are to state whether they are willing or otherwise to serve under the County Council. Same were considered, together with the contents of the County (Poor Rate Collectors) Order 1899. The Secretary was directed to make the necessary communication to the County Cess Collectors as desired by the Local Government Board.
(28.)
Proposed by Mr. Laurence Malone, seconded by Sir Gerald Dease and unanimously agreed to –
That the Secretary be authorised to arrange with the contractor for the County printing to obtain as soon as possible the Office books which have been prepared under the Supervision of MR. W. E. Ellis (Local Govt. Auditor) and also one copy of Mr. Ellis’ Exemplifications for County, District, and Union Accounts, respectively. That the County printer be also instructed to prepare as soon as possible a supply (as may be ordered by the Secretary) of the various Office forms required under the orders of the Local Government Board or otherwise.
(29.)
The Council decided to defer to their next meeting the fixing of dates for the Quarterly Meetings of Rural District Councils.
(30.)
The Secretary handed in an abstract of the Coroners’ Accounts as paid by the Grand Jury during the five years preceding the passing of the Local Government Act. He also read a letter (No. 22103) on the subject from the Local Government Board dated 21st instant.
The Council directed the Secretary to inform the Coroners that the question of their salaries would be taken into consideration at the next meeting of the Council, and to furnish them with a copy of the abstract of their accounts. The County Surveyor was also directed to ascertain the area and population of the Coroners’ districts.
(31.)
The Secretary read a letter, dated 20th April, from the Clerk of the District Council of Baltinglass No. 3, as follows:-
“I am directed by the Local Government Board to inform you that only two District Councillors were co-opted under section 113 of the Local Government Act in this Union, viz. J. Germaine, J.P., Graney, and P. P. Farnan, J.P., Bolton.
“This leaves a vacancy for one District Councillor, which the Local Government Board point out must be filled by the County Council.
“They have directed me to transmit a list of qualified ex-officio Guardians to you, but I am unable to do so, as the two gentlemen mentioned were the only justices residing in the County Kildare Section of this Union (now the Baltinglass Rural District No. 3) who acted for the past three years.”(6)
In reply to the foregoing letter the Secretary was directed to inform the Clerk of the Baltinglass No. 3 District Council that, in the opinion of the County Council, the provisions of Section 113 (3) of the Act do not require that the additional councillors therein mentioned must be selected from ex-officio Guardians actually resident within the Rural District in question. The County Council therefore request the Rural District Council of Baltinglass No. 3 to select any ex-officio Guardian of Baltinglass Union who fulfils the other conditions laid down in Section 113 (3), and who would also be qualified under the other provisions of the Act to be a Councillor for a Rural District in County Kildare. The County Council will be prepared to appoint any person so selected and qualified to be a third additional Councillor for the Rural District of Baltinglass No. 3, unless the Local Government Board should advise them that they have not correctly interpreted the section in question.
(32.)
The Secretary read a circular letter, dated 18th April, from the Secretary of the Appeal Commission (Ireland) and handed in accompanying notices relative to petitions against Orders of the Local Government Board under Section 68 of the Local Government Act.
(33.)
The Secretary read a Resolution, adopted by the last Presentment Sessions for the Barony of Ikeathy and Oughterany, and referred by Grand Jury to the County Council, relative to applications for payments by road contractors and others, and recommending that such applications should not be required.
With reference to this matter the Secretary stated that, some time previous to the Presentment Sessions, he had called the attention of some of the officers of the Local Government Board to the fact that such applications were unnecessary, and imposed expense and loss of time on the applicants, and that this state of things would become much worse under Article 7 (3) of the Local Government ( Procedure of Councils) Order, 1899 (at that time a Draft Order). He had since been informed that his objections had been considered by the Board, and that provisions had been inserted in Article 5 (10) of the District Accounts Order, 1899, and in Article 6 (9) of the County Councils Order, 1899, by which such applications were rendered unnecessary.
(34.)
Mr. John T. Heffernan handed in the following –
“Notice of Motion.
“I will move at the next Meeting of the Council- ‘That the Secretary be instructed to communicate with the Trustees of the Duke of Leinster as to whether they are disposed to enter into negotiations with regard to the reopening of the County Infirmary’.”
(35.)
Mr. C. Black, an Inspector under the Diseases of Animals Acts, handed in through the Secretary the following Notices relative to cases of sheep-scab:- 5 Withdrawals of Notice, 1 Notice prohibiting movement, and 1 Notice of a fresh outbreak. The two last-named Notices related to lands situated in the County Wicklow portion of Naas Union, and the Council were of opinion that they had no jurisdiction in these cases. Ultimately the consideration of all the Notices was deferred to the next Meeting of the Council.
(36.)
The Secretary read a Circular and Resolutions (dated 10th April) from the Irish Financial Reform League of 19 Lincoln Place, Dublin, and a Circular and Resolutions (dated 20th April) from the Irish Railway Reform Association. The Council made no order thereon.
(37.)
The Council adjourned – to meet again on Saturday, 29th April, at half past twelve o’clock. The Finance Committee to meet on same date, at 10 a.m.
Stephen J. Brown Clr.
29th April 1899. (7)
………………………………………………………………………………
(1) Boherboy in original list of elected Councillors.
(2) Middle Initial appears to be N but Jn in original list of elected Councillors.
(3) Bergin and Malone seem to be written in later.
(4) The Minutes are handwritten but these resolutions are printed and are pasted in.
(5) Report printed and pasted in. No accompanying map!
(6) Italics are mine; written in to Minutes.
(7) Signed by Stephen Brown.
Compiled and edited by Mario Corrigan; typed by Maria and Breid; formatting has been difficult to maintain but despite spacings is a true representation]
To emphasise the importance of the combined resources of Local Studies, Genealogy and Archives, the 100th article on EHistory is a direct transcription of the Minutes of the First Meeting of Kildare County Council held in Naas on the 22nd April, 1899
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